Printing means



G. w. DARENBERG May 21, 1946.

PRINTING MEANS Filed NOV. 23, 1942 m 5 v f I. .lll. i m .5 W E M F m 450 945 WDHPAFNBEEG spreads, table cloths;draperiesetc,- I *With these-and othenobje c'ts in view, the vention comprises certain'constructions;lierein after described'and then .h la m d mere dl em odiment offmy Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED STATE PRINTING I George W. Darenberg, Freeport, N. 4 Application November 23,1942, Serial No. 466,583 I 8 Claims. (01. 1019122) This invention relates to printing, and in particular to the ornamentation of asingle piece of fabric in panel form andmechanical means for carrying out the printing in a press.

In the production of ornamented window curtains. heretofore, it has been the practice to pass the web of fabric through the press and print a design thereon throughout the entire length of the piece from which thecurtains are cut. This was found objectionable because the printed design appeared in the hems and folded bindings of the curtans and presented anunsightly appearance. Also when the curtain material was cut for length, the cutting usually mutilated the printed design. The remedy for this objection was to produce a single panel curtain with the side edges and upper and lower edges already hemmed and then to print this panel or single curtain by a hand process that contemplated the use of the silk screen and the 'careful and frequent handling of the curtain. This process made the cost ofthe curtains high and as the design had to be placed at exactly the right location in the panel, within, but not touching the hems of the curtain, the printing could not be done by the use of the printing press.

It is the particular object of my invention to provide means including a press for printing on a, single panel curtain within the hemmed borders thereof so that the design begins andends at the proper place on the curtain which is finished except for printing before it is passed through the press to be printed upon through a stencil. A further object of the invention is to provide means for making the feeding of each individual curtain into the press practical and at a minimum of time and also to provide means whereby. the stencil may be adjusted to print designs of varying lengths on curtains of various lengths without altering the press or removing the stencil therefrom. w l I A still further. object of the invention is to print, on a single finished curtain through a press mountedstencil, so that the curtains can "be fed to the press one after anotherlin quick succession and can be removed from the press automatically. "I'heymay be allowed to dry with the1 'design plain; or decorated with flock; tinsel or beads-and the like. This process'can'also be applied tamedicularly. pqintea out invention is illustrated .inthe accompanying drawing, in which: I

, Figure 1 is a view in sideelevation; partly in sectiornof aprinting'press employing a stencil and inking means through which a completed curtain is passed for printing impression,

Figure 2 is'a fragmentaryview in perspective showing the means for securing the leading edge of a curtain in place so'that; itis properly associated with the stencil in its passage through thepress, 1 'w 1 Figure 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing how the curtainis fed into the press,

Figure 4 is a plan view of a single panel curtain which has been completed and is readyfor printing, the lead or gripper strip being shown in place in the bottom hem of the curtain,

Figure 5 is an'enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing the lead strip in the hem of the curtain, and

Figure 6 is a plan View of an opened stencil showing how the length of the design may be controlled. v

Referringto the drawing in detail, I0 indicates the frame of a printing press of well known construction in which is mounted the impression cylinder II for rotation at the same speed as the travel of a perforated stencil web I2 through which designs and the like are printed, in this instance, on a single panelcurtain l3 passed between the cylinder II and the stencil i2. method of keeping the cylinder ll free from printing ink isillustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 393,158. Printing ink or color I4 is contained in an reservoir l5 positioned inside the stencil I 2 to feed through the openings of the stencil that form the design. The. reservoir comprises the usual walls 16, one of which constitutes a doctor blade I] the pressure of whose edge against the stencil-is adjusted by the tension device H3. The slack in thestencilistaken the curt'ain beingkindicated by. the .lett'er C. Simultaneous, operation of the. cylinder -l l and I 'stencil. I 2 is" provided, bygt he gearsa23," 24 andj25,

thejlatter of-wliich isbelt.operated'asatlli from a pul e 1., TDQPQ 'enoiighto operate pul an er d; mm wi e "s .t at/thenre ssean f theopera'tor'that teeds he curtains thereto -2F'or The I this purpose, I provide a'belt tension member 3| depicted as a roller mounted in the end of a footlever 3| having a foot pedal 32 in position for easy operation by the press operator at the feed in end of the press. When the lever I! is depressed to the outline position in Figure 1, thepress operates, and stops as soon as the lever is raised by the spring 33. The operation of belt 2! is throughihe'mediu'mi of the motor 34 and speed reduction mechanism 31, drive belt 30 and pulley 39 associated with the pulley 21. Operation of the conveyor web 2| is through the belt 4. travelling about cylinder pulley 4|, variable speed pulley' 42 and tension idler 43. i

same place on each curtain andproperly within the hemmed edges thereof, the curtain must be fed through the -press in proper relation to the stencil and to this end I have provided a gripper strip 50 which may be madeoi fiber, paper or other suitable material having an attaching portion 5| which is glued or-otherwise secured to the stencil l2 to allow the free edge 52 thereof to receive between it and the surface of the stencil, the leading or lower edge of the curtain as shown' diagrammatically in Figure 3. The free edge portion of the strip may be solid or slotted as at. The slots provide flexibility, break suction or vacuum and allow drop away of the curtain from the stencil very quickly when the stencil clears cylinder ll.

In order to feed the curtain, I have made use of a lead strip of stifi paper or other material, which I pass through the bottom hem of the curtain. The latter is printed from bottom to top. The lead strip 54 extends beyondthe curtain at both sides thereof as at 55 to provide hand holds so that the operator can bring the edge of the curtain against the juncture formed by the meeting of the free edge 52 of the gripper strip and the stencil l2. Then foot operation of the pedal After the stencil leaves the cylinder, the flexible gripper strip ppens or drops to let the lead strip 54 fall down on to the conveyor web 2L. The speed of travel of the web 2| may be faster than the travel of the stencil so that the curtain is drawn away from the stencil quickly. After the curtain leaves the conveyor it may be flocked or packed for shipment. The use of'the lead strip makes it possible to print the curtain which is of fragile material; in a printing press and in combination with the gripper strip which initiates travel of the curtain through the press is an important part of my invention. The lead strip is heavy enough to drop the leading edge of the printed curtain when thegripper strip opens.

My invention also contemplatesthe adjustment of the press to accommodate curtains of varying lengths and to do this without removing the stenin accordance with the length of said fabric, and a gripping strip on said stencil web extendin substantially the width of the web and presenting how .the stencil design may be blocked out or.

covered to give the length of design necessary in accordance with the length of curtain being printed. The area of design on the stencil is represented in outline and designated as at D in Figure 6. 1

- My invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages derived from its use.

What I claim is:

1. In a printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a travelling endless stencil web through which is printed a design orthe like on a fabric=passed between the stencil and said impression cylinder, and a gripping strip on said stencil extending substantially the width of said stencil and presenting an attaching portion and a relatively hingedfree portion, the latter being arranged for frictionally holding the leading edge 1 area and design area covering means for adjusting the length of the design printed on said fabric anaattaching portion and a relatively hinged free portion, the latter being arranged to frictionally hold the leading edge of the fabric between the stencil and the strip as the fabric passes between the stencil and the impression cylinder, said strip oil, I make use of blockingfstrips 55. of paper or stencil will accommodate a inch curtain and the blocking strip 55 shown in full lines in Figure automatically freeing the leading edge of the fabric by gravity as the stencil leaves the cylinder.

3. In a printing press, in combination-an impression cylinder, a travelling endless stencil web having a perforate area presenting a design through which a print is made on fabric passed between said stencil and impression cylinder, and blocking strips arranged to cover a portion completely of one end of said perforate area to adjust the length of design to the length of fabric being printed upon, and a gripping strip on said stencil web extending substantially the width of the web and presentingan attaching portion and a relatively hinged free portion, the latter being arranged to frictionally hold the leading edge of the fabric between the stencil and the strip as the fabric passes between the stencil and the impression cylinder, said strip automatically freeing the leading edge of the fabric by gravity leaves the cylinder.

4. In a printing press, in combination, anim pression cylinder, a travelling endless stencil web through which a print is made on a piece of fabric as-the stencil 5. ma printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a travelling endless stencil web cylinder, a flat flexible removable lead strip in the piece of fabric for reinforcing the edge thereof, a gripping strip on the stencil operable on contact of the cylinder and stencil for engaging said lead strip to feed the fabric through the press and means for blocking out a portion of the design on the stencil lengthwise of the stencil with respect to said gripping means and in accordance with thelength'of the piece of fabric being printed upon.

6. In a printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a travelling endless stencil web through which is printed a design or the like on an unsupported flimsy fabric passed between said stencil and the impression cylinder, a grip-- ping strip on the stencil having a portion attached to the stenciland a portion free therefrom, but foldable against said stencil when the latter engages said impression cylinder, a lead strip in the fabric arranged to be positioned on the ripping strip to be held thereby when the latter is folded,

and said lead strip dropping the leading edge of the fabric out of the gripping strip after the latter has passed the impression cylinder.

7. In a printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a travelling endless stencil web,

a gripping strip on the stencil, a, lead strip in' one end of a flimsy fabric piece to be printed upon for engagement with said gripping strip when the latter grips the lead strip upon contact of the cylinder and stencil, design area adjusting means for said stencil and a conveyor for leading the printed fabric from the press.

8. In a printing press, in combination, an impression cylinder, a'travelling endless stencil web through which is printed a design or the like on a piece of flimsy unsupported fabric passed between i the cylinder and the stencil, means for controlling the operation of the press for a single printing cycle, a gripping strip on the stencil, a lead strip on the fabric piece to be printed upon, said lead strip being engaged and held by the gripping strip during contact of the cylinder and stencil to draw the fabric through the press, and the gripper strip automatically releasing the lead strip to discharge the fabric from the press.

GEORGE W. DARENBERG. 

